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Louisa Parsons Hopkins 



EASTER CAROLS 



BY 



LOUISA PARSONS HOPKINS 

AUTHOR OF 

motherhood" "breath of field and shore" ETC. 




BOSTON 
LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS 

IO MILK STREET NEXT OLD SOUTH MEETING-HOUSE 
1888 



\ 



Copyright, 1888, 
By LEE AND SHEPARD. 



All 7- i ghts reserved. 



Easter Carols 



HE IS RISEN 

" TTE is risen! He is not here!" 

XX Come the dark grave anear 
And see the angel of light 
In his robe of dazzling white 
To your longing eyes appear ! 

Listen ! Be of good cheer ! 
Love shall dispel all fear ; 
Fled is the sad, lone night; 
" He is risen ! " 

O Lord and Saviour dear ! 
Make the truth shine so clear 
Unto our grief-dimmed sight, 
Make the glad word so bright, 
As to dry every tear : 

" He is risen ! " 



EASTER CAROLS 



EASTER SONG 

THE song of the sap 
From its mother's lap 
Springing to welcome the Easter Day ; 
The song of the wood 
That groweth good 
With the sap that riseth and will not stay 

Clear harmonies 

Of the fluted trees, — 
The organ-pipes of the bird and bee ; 

The voice that wells 

From the leaflet-cells, — 
A hidden murmur of melody ! 

5 



EASTER CAROLS 



The opening sheath 

Of the willow's wreath ; 
Chorus of birds, hi^h carolling ; 

The cymballed psalm 

Of the air's soft palm 
Closing after the cleaving wing ; 

The patter of showers, 

The waving flowers, 
The symphony of the south wind free ; 

The vibrant harp 

Of the ice-clad scarp, 
Struck to the chord of the sounding sea ; 

The whir of wings, 

The bubbling springs, 
The bursting ice and the melting snow ; 

The rapid's roar 

And the rippling shore, 
The unchained brooks and the rivers' flow ; 



EASTER CAROLS 



The nestling broods, 

The interludes 
Of chirp and trill, of coo and call ; 

The loosening hold 

Of the leaf-bud's fold, 
And the resurrection of each and all ! 

Let the paean rise 

In the eastern skies, 
While planets sing on their mystic ways ; 

With heart and voice 

Earth and heaven rejoice, 
And the song of life be a song of praise ! 



EASTER 



CAROLS 



THE BLITHE YOUNG SPRING 
CHE is dancing along ^ sneari 
O The blithe young Spring, 
She ealleth the winds to blow, 

To blow, -and the iee and snow 

Vanish iron, held and mere. 
She is dancing along tip-toe, 

She ealleth the winds to blow, 

And the ferns and the grasses, lo I 

And the daffodils, appear. 
She is dancing along tip-toe, 



EASTER CAROLS 



And the clods and the rootlets know 

'Tis the spring-tide of the year. 
She calleth the winds to blow, 

And the streams and the fountains flow 

With a melody fresh and clear. 
She calleth the winds to blow, 
She is dancing along tip-toe ! 



10 EASTER CAROLS 



PRYTHEE HASTE 



SNOWDROP, crocus, prythee haste, 
Call the heedless Spring ! 
Over winter's snowy waste 



Woo her gently, an' thou mayst, 

Sweetly dallying ; 
Snowdrop, crocus, prythee haste ! 

Birds that erst her coming graced, 

Bluebird, robin, sing ! 
Over winter's snowy waste, 

Where the frost its flowerets traced, 

Sound her welcoming. 
Snowdrop, crocus, prythee haste ! 



EASTER CAROLS 11 

Down the wood-path where she paced, 

Flits the thrush's wing, 
Over winter's snowy waste. 

Willow-buds, but half unlaced, 

Slip your dainty string. 
Over winter's snowy waste, 
Snowdrop, crocus, prythee haste ! 



12 



EASTER CAROLS 



THE EP1G/EA 

^ UT of the woods dim sepulchre, 
Fresh from the shrouding leaves, 
Bloom the flowers for Easter mormng, 
And my heart their pledge recedes, 
Of the Lord of the Resurrection, 
Who death and loss retrieves. 

Sweet to my sense their presence, 
Lovely their soft pink flush! 

In the Easter mornings hush 
So the message of life perfumes them, 
And kindles their tender blush. 



EASTER CAROLS 13 



"See! Life from death awakcth ! " 
The mould-sprung blossoms say ; 

" Angels from sealed sepulchre 
Have rolled the stone away ; 

Christ is risen, and through the shadow 
Streams the eternal day ! " 



14 



EASTER CAROLS 



RESURRECTION 

EJOICE1 the veil is rent 
The earth awakes; 
fcnd Nature's long, sad Lent, 
Spring's beauty breaks. 



R 



Behold! now opened wide 

The radiant room, 
While angels sit beside 

The unsealed tomb. 

And risen, waiting near, 
The Saviour stands, 

With .;aze serene and dear, 
An d outstretched hands. 



EASTER CAROLS 15 



"Rabboni !" "Mary!" Stay, 

'Twas He replied ! 
" 'Tis Resurrection Day, 

And death hath died!" 



16 EASTER CAROLS 



EASTER DAY 

ON Easter Day the risen Lord 
Walks through earth's garden, fair and 
broad, 
And calls to every leaf and flower 
In tone of sweet, commanding power. 
Nature obeys the gracious word, 
And springs to life with glad accord 
Of bloom and song the skies toward, 
In full and fresh creative dower, 
On Easter Day. 

So hears the soul the voice of God, 
And takes the Spirit's shining sword 
To pierce the shades of death that lower, — 
Reveal the resurrection hour, 
That shall immortal life afford, 
On Easter Day. 



EASTER CAROLS 17 



THE SNOWDROP COMES 

/ T V HE snowdrop comes on Easter Day, 

-*- Nor long the crocus shall delay ; 
And soon, ah ! soon the daisies bloom, 
The Mayflower finds its own sweet room, 
And flaunts the dandelion gay. 
Life, with its glad, exultant sway, — 
Earth, sky, in bridal fresh array, — 
While, usher of the bride and groom, 
The snowdrop comes ! 

Hear what the pure, shy blossoms say : 
" Though fields arc bare, and skies are gray, 
And life seems shrouded o'er with gloom, 
An angel sits within the tomb, 
In robes of white, to praise and pray." 
The snowdrop comes ! 



18 EASTER CAROLS 



AN EASTER ANGEL 

AN Easter angel, pure and white, 
Shone forth to my astonished sight. 
"Whence art thou," low I said, 
" To meet me where I sought the dead, 
With all the radiance of thy dazzling light, 
O Easter angel ? " 

" God called me from the gloom of death and 

nisdit 
That shrouds the patient earth, o'er her to 
shed 

Glory instead, — 
An Easter angel ! " 



; 



EASTER CAROLS 19 



" I am the snowdrop, by life's silent might 
Risen from wintry frosts to beauty bright, 
By Spring's glad fountains fed, 
All resurrection in my coming pledged, 
Token that death and darkness take their 
flight, — 

An Easter angel ! " 



20 EASTER CAROLS 



O LIGHTED TOMB 

LIGHTED tomb ! where is thy boasted 
Dead ? 
Folded the napkin wrapped about His head, 
Empty the radiant room 
Where angels through the gloom 
Their dazzling light have shed. 

"Where have ye laid Him?" Mary said, 

Then to the Master sped, 
Who vanquished death's dark doom, 
O lighted tomb! 

So wakes the earth by Easter beams o'er- 
spread, 

To resurrection led. 
Each barren clod shall bloom, 
Death's empty house be filled with life's 
perfume, 

Earth's lighted tomb ! 



EASTER CAROLS 21 



THE BLUEBIRD 

A S high in air the bluebird flies, 
^ *- And cheerly sings, 
Though dark the cloud, and chill the skies, 

With steady aim her way she plies 

On tireless wings. 
As high in air the bluebird flies, 

Her carols sweet the heart surprise, 

And courage springs. 
Though dark the cloud, and chill the skies, 

'Tis light and joy to waiting eyes, 

And promise brings. 
As high in air the bluebird flies, 



22 EASTER CAROLS 



My soul puts on her braver guise, 

Her carol rings. 
Though dark the cloud, and chill the skies, 

Above them all to God she hies 

With heavenly things. 
As high in air the bluebird flies, 

So shall my soul exultant rise, 

While far she flings 
All earth-born doubt and care that dies, 
As high in air she soars and flies, 
Though dark the cloud, and chill the skies. 



EASTER CAROLS 23 



SWEET SIBYL SPRING 

SWEET sibyl Spring! thy verdant scrol 
Still let the warm south winds unroll, 
Till every syllable is seen 
Adown its pages soft and green, 
Wherein may read the trusting soul 
How all things rest in His control, 
Who fills with joy life's golden bowl, 
And writes His love in fairest sheen ; 
Sweet sibyl Spring ! 

Around thy borders as we stroll, 
We learn the pure, the perfect whole, 

So full of promise is thy mien ; 

Of all the year the prophet-queen ; 
Bright type of birth, and pledge of goal ; 
Sweet sibyl Spring ! 



24 



EASTER CAROLS 



RING, EASTER CAROLS 



R 



ING, Easter carols, rins 



Bluebird and robin sing, 
Thrilling the air, 
Spring-tide declare ! 
Waft on your joyous whig 
Glints of bright blossoming ; 
Let your glad voices bring 
Hopes sweet and rare. 

Ring, Easter carols ! 



Now to God's love we cling, 
Trustful and worshipping, 

Soaring in prayer. 

Heaven is so fair, 
Christ is our offering. 

Ring, Easter carols ! 



EASTER CAROLS 25 



THE BRIDAL FESTIVAL 



NATURE in sweet bewilderment 
From out her snowy vesture creeps : 
The gentle Spring forgetful sleeps, 
Lulled in her dream of deep content, — 

Dream that in rosy hopes will break, 

When dancing o'er the daisied lea, 
Shall step the bride Persephone, 

And all the earth to life awake. 

Shy Nature kneels in trembling guise, 

Her pure brow white as driven snow, 
Her fleecy robes the south winds blow, 

Love's mystery lights her dewy eyes. 



26 EASTER CAROLS 



She hears the ripple on the shore, 

The tuneful bluebird cleave the skies 
Her heart leaps up in glad surprise 

To know her hour has come once more. 



n. 

Swift-footed bride, Persephone, 

How blush the meadows at thy tread ! 

The oak unfurls his banners red, 
And swallows come across the sea. 

The downy willow from her shroud 

Hangs out her tassels' yellow bloom, 
The nestling fern unrolls its plume, 

The modest woods are veiled in cloud. 

How gleams the golden oriole 

Out-glancing from her swinging nest, 
Her chirping brood beneath her breast. 

While songs of joy to Nature roll ! 



27 
EASTER CAROLS 



Ring every golden buttercup, - 

A bell of bridal festival; 

Weave white the daisy coronal, 
An d gather all the sweetness up. 

in. 
The chrysalid with rapture stirs : 
TH The water-beetle feels more mgh 

His -lory of the dragon-fly, 
And nectar fills the flower-spurs. 

Down in the confidential green 

Of clover-fields the insects hum, 
While myriad creatures pipe and drum, 

Alld live their busy life unseen. 



And all their pollen grains bequeath 

That golden harvests may be born 



Extract fr "Persephone!' 



28 EASTER CAROLS 



MIRACLE OF LIFE 

IV. 

BEWILDERING miracle of life! 
The brooding nest, the swelling bud, 
The rushing river at its flood, 
And Spring with all its promise rife. 

Now Nature calls from star to clod 

All things to fruitful blossoming : 
The resurrection-soul of Spring 

Speaks out the vernal thought of God. 

For birth is holy as a shrine, 

And sacred is the hidden germ ; 
The seed is sown when faith is firm, 

And Nature's vestal hour divine. 



EASTER CAROLS 29 



From birth to death, from death to 
birth : 

So sing the swift recurring years. 

The chant rolls on in other spheres, 
"Behold, I make new heavens and earth!" 

New senses, new rewards of sense, 

The spectrum filled, all dark lines 

bright. 
Released from this close-fettered sight, 

We see life's fuller evidence. 

And music unimagined here, 

Shall break in wave on wave of sound, 
No grand chords silent, and no bound 

To limit the enfranchised ear. 



li 



30 EASTER CAROLS 



Fresh miracle and fresh desire, 

And nature's still enlarging scope, 
A deeper faith, a broader hope, 

A steadier purpose to aspire ; 

New inspiration rounding life, 

And speeding it upon its way, 

To those great cycles where the day 

Is without shadow, without strife. 

Extract from " Persephone.'' 



EASTER CAROLS 31 



EASTER LILIES 



/ T A HE pure and holy lilies 

■*■ Attend their Lord alway 
The Easter-lilies praise Him, 
They "of the valley" pray. 



Red-lilies speak His passion, 
Field-lilies breathe His love, 

And Water-lilies image 

His peace in heaven above. 

Weave in the glorious blossoms 
To deek the Easter-tide, 

An offering fit and spotless, 
By Jesus sanctified ! 



32 EASTER CAROLS 



And when in bliss we see Him, 
The gates of life thrown wide, 

The Angel of the Lily 
Shall lead us to His side. 



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